Superstitions Ch. 20

"Monday means good fortune, Tuesday means greatest attempts will be successful, Wednesday means marriage, Thursday means warning of small profits, Friday means wealth, Saturday means misfortune and Sunday means excellent luck for weeks."

"What?" I stared at my college roommate, Mary, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

"Flowers." She shoved her glasses back up onto her nose and showed me the passage in the book she was reading. "It's a superstition about flowers."

"That's stupid."

"It's not stupid!" She huffed, turning away and sitting down on her bed. "It's nearly spring and it's very important for you to know this."

"Mary, I don't believe in superstitions." She just stared at me, her mouth hanging open. "They're pretty dumb."

She just shook her head. "I hope you change your mind about that."

I grabbed my backpack and headed out to class. The air was a bit chilly and I hurried along, my arms pressed against my breasts. Superstitions. What a crock of shit! Black cats, ladders, umbrellas and flowers? Flowers? That was the most ridiculous ... my boot hit something that was hidden in the grass and I stopped to see what it was. It was a grey pouch, caked with dirt and I bent to pick it up, pausing when I saw that it was a bank bag. Shaking, I opened it and gasped at the hundreds of dollars that was inside. On top of all that money was a slip of paper with the president's name and the signature of his secretary, Rosemary.

Of course, I felt the tug to keep it but I just knew that it was a stupid idea. I'd be late to class but I couldn't hang onto this money any longer. I made a beeline for the administrative building and found Rosemary at her desk.

"Hi. I found this and your name is on it."

Her face went white and I thought that she was going to faint for a moment. She reached for the bag and pressed the intercom button at the same time. "Dr. Warren, could you come out here please?"

I stood nervously, wondering what the hell was going on. Dr. Al Warren, president of the university, came out of his office, glasses perched on the end of his nose. Rosemary held up the bag and his mouth dropped open. "Where did you find this?"

"I was on my way to class and I kicked it. It was in a flower bed ... " Flower bed. Flowers. Mary's words floated through my head. "What day is today?"

"The date?"

"No, the day."

"It's Friday."

Friday means wealth. Mary's words again.

"Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes." I shook my head. "Well, I've got to get to class. I'm late as it is."

"Hold on a minute." Dr. Warren disappeared into his office for a moment, then returned with an envelope. "This is my way of saying thank you for being honest and returning the university's money."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now get to class. If your professor gives you a problem, tell him to call me."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Thanks, Rosemary."

And with that, I shoved the envelope into my pack and ran as fast as I could to class. Professor Abingdon gave me a sour look when I snuck in but I smiled at him, pulling my textbook and notepad out. The envelope caught my attention and I opened the flap, astonished to see a check inside written out to me. The amount: two thousand dollars.Friday means wealth.

* * * * *

Mary was flabbergasted when she heard my story and I took her out to dinner that night to celebrate. After all, she was the one that had told me about the superstition. She saw her first flower on a Tuesday and passed every test she took for the next year. We moved into an apartment together, spent the summer working and attacked college again for our third year. Fall and winter passed and finally, spring arrived.

"What day do you want to find flowers this year?"

I thought for a moment but I already knew the answer. "Wednesday."

Mary smiled. "Wednesday means marriage."

I shook my head. I was tired of being lonely and wanted to be with someone. I had dated a little but the guys had been jerks, usually wanting sex instead of conversation. I was not interested in one-night stands; I wanted a boyfriend, areal boyfriend to share my life with. So Mary and I went about our lives, going to class and anxiously awaiting the first sighting of the flowers of spring.

Time passed and I forgot all about the superstition until weeks later, a brilliant slash of blue caught my eye. Bluebells had broken through the hard earth and their folded blue fronds arched gracefully toward the sun. I bent down to touch one and suddenly found myself sprawled flat on the concrete sidewalk, a heavy body pressing me down.

"What the hell!" He was handsome. Blond hair, hazy green eyes and a thick body that was now pinning me to the ground. "What the hell were you doing?"

"I was looking at the flowers."

"Stupid girl! I could have broken my neck!"

He was right, of course. I should have been more careful but I didn't know why he hadn't seen me. "I'm sorry. Here, let me help you." I rolled over and stood, gathering the items he had dropped: three books and a notepad. I stopped when I saw the white cane with its distinctive red tip. He was blind. That's why he hadn't seen me. I bent down and plucked a few stems, looking at them before I pressed them into his palm. "Please accept these as an apology."

I held the books and his cane as his fingers gently traced the folded petals and stiff green stems. His eyes remained open, his face empty of the anger he'd expressed earlier and I was instantly in love. I took the cane and bumped the underside of his hand with the handle. He held his hand out and let me slip the leather circlet over his wrist, but did not release the flowers. "I'm Brian."

"I'm a stupid girl." I answered.

"No." His fingers stroked the petals again. "You are beautiful to have noticed the flowers."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks and was thankful that he couldn't see my furious blush. "I'm Tina. Can I walk you to class?"

"No." He smiled and my heart skipped a few beats as I watched him slip my flowers into his pocket. "But can I walk you to yours?"

"Sure." I took his arm, guiding him down the path. "Brian, what day is today?"

The sweetest word I ever heard dropped from his lips. "Wednesday."